Thorcon CEO Matt Wilkinson says Indonesia’s push for nuclear power aims to boost economic growth and cut emissions. (Photo: Thorcon)
Nuclear technology continues to evolve, and fourth-generation molten salt reactors (MSRs) offer safer and more stable low-carbon power. Singapore-based American developer Thorcon, which uses this technology, has made significant progress in Indonesia and may become the first to build a commercial nuclear power plant in the country.
In an exclusive interview with RECCESSARY, Thorcon CEO Matt Wilkinson discussed the challenges and opportunities in Indonesia, as well as the key technology behind MSRs.
“It takes two years from cutting initial steel to delivering electrons, we can scale faster than any other solution,” Wilkinson said firmly, noting that Thorcon’s MSR is highly competitive in both construction speed and cost.
MSR with shipbuilding integration cuts time and cost
First developed and validated by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s, MSRs use molten salt as both coolant and fuel. This design improves efficiency, reduces high-pressure system risks, and allows flexible fuel options, including spent nuclear fuel and thorium.
Thorcon’s unique approach is to combine MSR technology with shipyard manufacturing. Wilkinson said that company founder and former MIT naval architecture professor Jack Devanney accidentally discovered that the MSR’s low-pressure, liquid-fuel, and high-temperature characteristics, combined with shipyard techniques, enable the rapid construction of multiple nuclear power plants.